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Changing Organizational Behavior: A Theory of Transformational Vocabulary

Nate Boyer

University of Phoenix

Dr. Amy Hakim

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Changing Organizational Behavior: A Theory of Transformational Vocabulary

In the contemporary organization behaviors do not change until employees first think

about or visualize a need to change, share thoughts verbally with others, write down thoughts for

future reference, modification and or archiving, and have a reason to take action. The sequence

or existence of the last three components of this process may vary and the result is an increased

potential for organizational miscommunications. When misunderstandings occur in organizations

there is increased potential for task, goal and ultimately organization cessation. A theory is “a set

of systematically interrelated concepts, definitions, and hypotheses advanced to explain and

predict phenomena (Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn, 2008, p. 24).

Background

This paper attempts to construct a theory of transformational vocabulary where

empowering and positive words are used to influence the favorable outcome of organization’s

future. The paper consists of sections closely following University of Phoenix doctoral program

research handbook guidelines including a problem and purpose statements adhering to American

Psychological Association style. These sections integrate theories, paradigms, and concepts

discussed and used in ORG/721(University of Phoenix, 2009, Syllabus). Using the theory of

transformational vocabulary this paper attempts to provide ideas on how to implement rapid,

ongoing, and long-term organizational change using the psychological power of positive words

in a systematic fashion.

Problem Statement

The general problem is global businesses must constantly seek the best way to adapt

organizational cultures to rapidly changing operating environments as failure to do so could

result in business cessation. From Frederick Taylor and Henry Gannt’s (Darmody, 2007) work in

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developing the scientific management school of thought, to James MacGregor Burns’ (1978)

original work in the development of transformational leadership theory, to Warren Bennis’

(2004) more contemporary leadership research, organizations have sought to find the ideal

strategy to manage organizational behavior. The need to find the optimal organizational behavior

change strategy cuts across all types of organizations, is addressed in many scholarly peer-

reviewed journals, and impacts all aspects of effectively leading and managing an organization.

The specific problem is U.S. business organizations are facing rapidly changing operating

environments requiring constantly revised strategies to increase their likelihood of success on a

global scale. Many leadership experts and scholars suggest organizations planning to survive in

the future must embrace a number of critical leadership skills including participative

management, relationship building, and change management (Hesselbein, F., & Goldsmith, M.

(2006). All of these leadership skills require leaders be able to effectively communicate in order

to integrate these skills into a strategy will work. With rapid changes to organizations and their

operating environments today’s leaders must be able to effectively address a variety of issues.

Leaders must be equipped to address ethnocentrism, parochialism, and ethical behavior by using

effective communications skills to listen, speak, question, and use a variety of feedback

strategies to change behaviors. All of these issues and skill sets have the potential to be

positively influenced by the adoption of a transformational vocabulary strategy.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this theory of transformative vocabulary is the assertion a systematic and

ongoing use of empowering and positive words can influence the favorable outcome of an

organization’s future (i.e. create positive behavior change). The theory of transformational

vocabulary was created using a qualitative methodology. Qualitative research is a “means for

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exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups assign to a social or human

problem” (Creswell, 2009, p. 4). According to Neuman (2006) theories contain built in

assumptions and or statements about the nature of things not observable or testable. Selecting a

qualitative methodology was appropriate for this theory building effort as this research relies on

the views of participants, asks general questions, collects data made up of mostly words or text,

describes and analyzes words for embedded themes, and executes the research in a subject and

biased manner (Creswell, 2008). While this theory’s research could take place anywhere, for

practical purposes it is focused on the central upstate New York metropolitan area of Syracuse.

The general population for this study is business organization employees.

Significance of the Study

Assuming the refinement an acceptance of the theory of transformational vocabulary,

business leaders and followers could benefit significantly from an increased ability to change

behaviors. Using a systematic approach to the theory additional benefits of speed, sustainability,

and extent of change might be enhanced. This research does not attempt to measure any

phenomena rather it seeks to understand and explore how speaking, hearing, and writing words

influence organizational behavior and change. Understanding how verbal and text-based

messages influence organization members can be useful in crafting cross-cultural

communications strategies for the organization (Xie, Rau, Tseng, Su, & Zhao, 2009). A useable

theory of transformational vocabulary would give leaders a relatively low cost, highly flexible,

portable tool to use in their efforts to implement organizational behavior change. As there is no

direct scholarly literature on the subject of transformational vocabulary this effort would open a

new field of research.

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Nature of the Study

Creswell (1998) defines a phenomenological study as one describing the meaning of the

lived experiences for individuals about a specific concept or phenomena. This study focuses on

the phenomena of a transformed vocabulary’s ability to change individual and organizational

behavior. A qualitative phenomenological design approach was selected to understand the social

significance of how words might influence organization member’s ability to change their

behavior. This research focuses on what processes occur when people hear, see, speak, and or

write empowering and positive words. Use of a phenomenological approach will allow research

into the lived experiences of organizational member’s exposure to words and how these words

influence member’s behavior. This method was appropriate due to focus on the lived experiences

of business organization employees. The exploratory nature of phenomenological research made

it appropriate to accomplish goals of the study.

Hypotheses/Research Questions

Several questions are relevant to this research and include understanding why certain

words and text have the potential to affect change more than other words. Another critical

research question is exploring what the optimum structure of a transformational vocabulary

strategy might consist of in order to ensure acceptance and internalization of changed behavior.

For the theory to be meaningful it should provide an understanding of who are the key internal

and external individuals a leader should enlist to design, implement, and manage a

transformational vocabulary strategy. A final issue to be addressed is how positive and

empowering words and text help leaders and followers to become more motivated to change.

Thoroughly addressing these issues might help organizational behavior practitioners better

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understand the notion of transformational vocabulary and its potential impact on an

organization’s ability to change unethical behavior, parochialism, and negative politics.

Conceptual or Theoretical Framework

This research is based on several change and behavior theories including Lewin’s change

theory (Reed, & Vakola, 2006), Schein’s change theory (2002), and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned

action and planned behavior (Kritsonis, 2004). Transformational, visionary, cultural leadership

theories are used to help readers understand how leaders and followers use words in the

motivation process. Warren Bennis’ (1985) theory of leadership, James MacGregor Burn’s

(1982) and Edgar Schein’s (2004) model of organizational culture and leadership were also used

to explore transformational leadership’s role in the formation of the theory of transformational

vocabulary. In a recent study Salem (2008) listed insufficient communications, local

identification, global distrust, lack of productive humor, poor interpersonal communications

skills, conflict avoidance, and an inappropriate mix of loose and tight coupling as reasons why

organizations do not change. These reasons highlight the potential role effective use of

appropriate and positive words play in changing organizational behavior.

Definitions

For the purposes of this research effort, transformational vocabulary theory is defined as

the belief positive and empowering words can motivate organizational members to make positive

behavioral changes. In this research transformational leadership is defined as the ability of

leaders to inspire followers by articulating vision, providing individualized support and

consideration, setting high performance standards, and creating intellectual stimulation (Gooty,

Gavin, Johnson, Frazier, & Snow, 2009). Adopting a transformational vocabulary requires

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visionary leaders to create, communicate, and implement a vision of a highly desirable and vivid

future organizational state that motivates followers (D'Intino, Boyles, Neck, & Hall, 2008).

Assumptions

This study assumes all participants are citizens of the United States, live in central upstate

New York and are employed by a business organization. The study also assumes all participants

speak English, are at least 25 years old, and have a college degree. Participants in this study are

assumed to have some kind of reporting relationship where they answer to another individual or

they report to a supervisor, manager, leader, board of directors or some other hierarchical

structure. All participants included in this research are assumed to have worked for their

employer for at least 3 years.

Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations

The focus of this study is only on full-time employees and not volunteers, advisors, and

or part-time employees. This study does not look at non-profit, government, single self-

employed individuals, or volunteers. Participants in this study must come from organizations

with at least 100 employees and there is no upper limit on an organization’s number of

employees. Minimum income for participants in this study is at least $25K with and upper limit

of $100K.

Literature Review

There is a substantial amount of scholarly peer-reviewed literature available to build a

foundation for the theory of transformational vocabulary. The definitions associated with

transformational leadership theory support the potential for a transformative theory of

vocabulary as there are frequent references to the use of communications, articulation,

vocalizing, and verbalizing an inspiring followers. Raiola (1995) states one of the most critical

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characteristics of the transformational leader is their ability to construct relationships by utilizing

positive and effective communications. A transformational leader must deliver a set of guidelines

supporting and nourish group members, initiating a pace for the group, modeling

communications behaviors, use of voice patterns, active listening, reflective communication

(paraphrasing), and use of clarification techniques such as questioning and summarizing.

Rafferty and Griffin (2004) argue when leaders communicate positive and encouraging

messages, there is an increased likelihood individuals will feel increasingly capable of carrying a

range of proactive tasks that go beyond the basics. Communications and verbal communications

specifically are even more important to the success of transformational leadership efforts when

they occur in online environments (Purvanova, & Bono, 2009). In the virtual communications

environment it is even more important to have clear communications from leaders due to noise in

the communications channel. For example it can take at least four times as long to type a

communication than to speak it (Hancock, 2004).

Organizational change is the process an organization uses to move from its current state

to a desired future state in order to increase the organization’s effectiveness (Jones, 2004).

Lewin’s model of change uses multiple phases including diagnosis, unfreezing, movement,

refreezing, and renewal stages (Francesco, & Gold, 2005). In global organizations a number of

key change agents include strategists, implementers and recipients must be engaged in order to

increase the likelihood of sustained change (Bowditch, Buono, & Stewart, 2008). To modify

organizational behavior a leader must be able effectively communicate ideas that help people

recognize the need for and logic of a specific change (Kotter, & Schlesinger, 1979). Of the 13

principles for managing people offered by Pfeffer (2005) several including information sharing,

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participation and empowerment, training and skill development, cross- utilization and cross-

training, embody communications as a critical factor in effectively managing people.

Research Method and Design Appropriateness

The purpose of this theory of transformative vocabulary is the assertion a systematic and

ongoing use of empowering and positive words can influence favorable outcomes of an

organization’s future. A qualitative approach was selected over a quantitative one as the study

will attempt to explore and understand how transformational vocabulary might influence the

decision of organizational participants to change their behavior. This research does not seek to

measure observable quantifiable data rather it has a general and broad focus attempting to

understand participants lived experiences within organizations as they relate to transforming

experiences. Data for the development of this theory will be collected using words and text

derived from conversations held during formal interviews.

Population, Sampling, and Data Collection Procedures and Rationale

The population identified for this research is employees of business organizations located

in the United States. The sample will consist of participants from business organizations located

in the metropolitan area of central upstate New York city of Syracuse. Data will be collected

using pre-scheduled, onsite, face-to-face, semi-structured, digitally recorded critical incident

technique (CIT) interviews transcribed into an electronic format usable with textual analysis

software. Most people have “Ah Ha moments” where they are suddenly compelled to make a

decision that changes their lives. CIT is widely used in business literature and can be described

as interacting events which the interviewee perceives or remembers as significantly positive or

negative when interviewed about them and which are later retold as stories (Fillis, 2006). Use of

a CIT interviewing technique is complementary to the exploratory focus of this inquiry which

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seeks to understand the experience of being motivated to change one’s behavior. The instrument

of data collection will be an interview of each participant conducted via face-to-face, onsite,

using semi-structured open-ended questions to elicit participants’ perceptions (Creswell, 2009).

The approximate number of participants selected for this research 25-30 organizational members.

Audio, video, and textual data acquired from participant interviews will be ingested into

digital analysis software. Qualitative audio, video, and textual analysis software will be used

because of the large volume of transcripts expected from the open ended participant interviews.

Using documents found during the literature review, key themes will be identified from the

digital analysis software. Examples of themes might include change processes, behavior

attributes, and transformation processes. NVivo qualitative software will be used because of its

ability to ingest, query, produce charts, compare, contrast, manage, and map a variety of multi-

media files (Johnson, Buehring, Cassell, & Symon, 2007).

Conclusion

Using a qualitative phenomenological approach this paper proposed a theory of

transformational vocabulary to address the problem of increased potential for business failures

due to rapidly changing operating environments. This paper suggested a systematic and ongoing

use of empowering and positive words can influence the advantageous outcome of an

organization’s future by creating positive behavior change. This paper advances the use of a

systematic approach to the theory and suggests benefits of speed, sustainability, and depth of

change might be the end result of such an effort. The study focuses on the phenomena of a

transformed vocabulary’s ability to change individual and organizational behavior. A

transformational vocabulary theory has the potential to give leaders a new tool for changing

domestic and global organizational behavior.

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